In this episode of Connect and Convert, hosts Dennis Collins and Leah Bumphrey share their personal experiences with sales onboarding and discuss the key elements of a successful onboarding program for new sales representatives. Discover the importance of setting clear expectations, providing mentorship, and developing both hard and soft skills to set your new hires up for success.

Key Takeaways:

- Ineffective onboarding can lead to high turnover rates and significant costs for businesses

- A well-structured onboarding program should focus on setting clear expectations, providing mentorship, and developing both technical knowledge and soft skills

- The first few minutes of a sales conversation can determine its outcome, so mastering the art of opening a sale is crucial

Resources and Links:

- [Wizard Academy](https://wizardofads.org/) - Transformative courses for professionals from diverse backgrounds

- [The Importance of Empathy in Sales](https://yourwebsite.com/empathy-in-sales) - Blog post by Dennis Collins

- [Social Styles and Sales Success](https://yourwebsite.com/social-styles-sales-success) - Article by Leah Bumphrey

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:30 - Leah's onboarding experience

00:03:15 - Dennis' onboarding story

00:07:00 - The cost of ineffective onboarding

00:09:30 - Clear expectations and mentorship

00:13:45 - Creating an internal training academy

00:17:00 - Developing soft skills in sales

00:19:30 - The importance of opening a sale effectively

00:23:00 - Challenge for listeners: share your onboarding story

Connect with the Hosts:

- [Dennis Collins](https://wizardofads.org/partner/dennis-collins/)

- [Leah Bumphrey](https://wizardofads.org/partner/leah-bumphrey/)

Related Episodes:

- [Mastering the Art of Sales Questioning](https://yourwebsite.com/mastering-sales-questioning) - Learn how to ask effective questions to uncover your clients' needs and desires

- [The Power of Storytelling in Sales](https://yourwebsite.com/storytelling-in-sales) - Discover how to use storytelling to build rapport and create memorable sales experiences